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Did BMW really win the luxury car sales race?

As anyone who follows our monthly By The Numbers series already knows, the luxury car sales race in the United States was close all of last year as BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz seesawed up and down for sales supremacy. At the end of the year, it was BMW on top of the standings with 346,023 total sales. Or was it? According to data released by Polk, comparing the actual number of vehicles registered between the three top luxury players in the US paints a slightly different picture. Polk's data suggests that only 335,259 BMWs were registered in 2015, compared to 340,392 Lexus models. Why the disparity? It's all a matter of timing. Actual end consumers buy new cars, in almost all cases, from a franchised dealer. BMW delivered 346,023 vehicles in 2015, but only 335,259 of them were registered by their new owners. Presumably, those 11,000 BMWs did (or will) end up registered in the driveways of consumers, but they hadn't before January 1, 2016. Lexus General Manager Jeff Bracken wrote in an email to Automotive News, "Luxury sales leadership as measured by vehicle registrations is important to Lexus as it represents actual consumers engaging directly with our dealers." Of course, it goes without saying that we'll be paying keen attention to the 2016 luxury car sales race as it unfolds. If it's anything like it was in 2015, it'll come down to the wire, and even then may not be entirely clear. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty BMW Lexus Mercedes-Benz Car Buying Car Dealers Luxury luxury cars

Wedding couple celebrates nuptials in the parking lot with donuts

Weddings are often joyous, fun-filled occasions full of revelry and some serious celebrating. And while we appreciate the fact that a couple is being joined together, we have a feeling a video like this could have very easily ruined said couple's big day.
It stars a bride, a groom and a BMW M3. But rather than the couple being in the car and laying down some rubber, the E46 M3 is doing donuts around the couple. We shouldn't have to explain why this is a bad idea - even if the driver is competent, this could have gone wrong pretty easily. Still, it didn't, and the end result is pretty cool.
Take a look below and let us know what you think in Comments.

BMW i3 to be priced around $40,000

According to Automotive News, the BMW i3 electric hatchback will likely be priced around $40,000, or similar to that of a well-equipped 3 Series sedan, when it goes on sale later this year. This information was revealed during an interview where AN spoke to Ludwig Willisch, CEO of BMW North America. The i3 will likely qualify for a $7,500 tax credit from the US federal government, though AN reports that a BMW spokesperson could not confirm this just yet.
In addition to the all-electric i3, BMW will offer a range-extended version that uses a 0.65-liter two-cylinder motorcycle engine and auxiliary generator to charge the car's battery on the go. Automotive News says pricing for this model is still unclear, as is whether or not the range-extended i3 will be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit. Of course, buyers needing a vehicle for longer trips will be able to borrow one from the automaker.
Automotive News also reports that the majority of BMW's 338 dealers in the United States will be able to sell the i3, as well as the upcoming i8 hybrid sports car. Dealerships have until June of this year to opt out of this program, however.